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Death of the old elites

 
 
 
DrZoidberg

DrZoidberg

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Here's a theory a friend of mine proposed. That the political extremism now, and seeming collapse of the political parties around the globe is a result of the Internet economy and free flow of information available today. The old elites are adapted to a pre-Internet age. They don't serve any purpose any longer other than being in the way. A future political leader doesn't initiate shit, nor fixes anything. They're more like traffic cops directing traffic. The Internet economy is so flexible, adaptive and powerful that there's no hope to fix anything better through the old parliamentary channels. The old promises just aren't believable any longer. We no longer want leaders with a perfect slick surface. We want leaders who sound authentic. Who sound like they're speaking from their hearts.

The old elites are being replaced by new elites, and what those will be has yet to crystallise.
 
The old elites were once young elites.

And the young elites are rapidly becoming old elites.
 
untermensche said:
The old elites were once young elites.

And the young elites are rapidly becoming old elites.
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I don't think so. Aren't you talking about generational shifts? We've had the same elites since the dawn of industrialisation 1700-1900. Those who rose to prominence then, are still in power. But the rich and powerful in IT are not part of the political elites. Bill Gates, Bezos and such are still not part of the establishment. Which is weird. Political power tends to follow economic power. This was what happened in the beginning of industrialisation. Nobles had all the power but very little money. Industrial magnates had almost all the money, but zero political power. That led to the French revolution, the American revolution and the extremely unstable 19'th century and then two world wars. At the end of all this mess the nobility was stripped of all their power and all power was in the hands of the industrial elites. But now we're back to a similar situation. The industrial elites are not used to the fast paced Internet world. They're used to be able to dictate from above and expect obedience. That's all changed now.
 
DrZoidberg said:
untermensche said:
The old elites were once young elites.

And the young elites are rapidly becoming old elites.
Click to expand...

I don't think so. Aren't you talking about generational shifts? We've had the same elites since the dawn of industrialisation 1700-1900. Those who rose to prominence then, are still in power. But the rich and powerful in IT are not part of the political elites. Bill Gates, Bezos and such are still not part of the establishment. Which is weird. Political power tends to follow economic power. This was what happened in the beginning of industrialisation. Nobles had all the power but very little money. Industrial magnates had almost all the money, but zero political power. That led to the French revolution, the American revolution and the extremely unstable 19'th century and then two world wars. At the end of all this mess the nobility was stripped of all their power and all power was in the hands of the industrial elites. But now we're back to a similar situation. The industrial elites are not used to the fast paced Internet world. They're used to be able to dictate from above and expect obedience. That's all changed now.
Click to expand...

Yes.

There have been several great ages.

The industrial age and the wealth that grew from that.

Then after WWII you have the technological age with the television and handheld radios and home appliances and home equipment like air conditioning. Wealth grew from this too.

It didn't begin after WWII but the automobile becomes a major part of the economy after WWII as well.

Then we have the computer age. And the wealth from that.

Not generational but according to major advances and major technologies.

Gates is a philanthropist. Giving away his fortune as fast as he makes it.

There have been other philanthropists of great wealth from previous ages.

Political power is gained by those who can gain it.

In the US great wealth is just a prerequisite.

It is not the whole story.

Old wealth is connected to power already.
 
I don't see any sanitation taking place, only forward movement. That's what generational change brings. The idea is that the generational change will also affect corporate attitudes as well as political ones.

That America is militarizing its police tells me that change isn't going to come easily or without great cost to many individuals and well-intentioned groups. The militarization is not to keep us safe as leaders would have us believe, but to maintain an order that serves corporate preferences.
 
poster said:
I don't see any sanitation taking place, only forward movement. That's what generational change brings. The idea is that the generational change will also affect corporate attitudes as well as political ones.

That America is militarizing its police tells me that change isn't going to come easily or without great cost to many individuals and well-intentioned groups. The militarization is not to keep us safe as leaders would have us believe, but to maintain an order that serves corporate preferences.
Click to expand...

These kinds of shifts are often violent. Europe in the 19'th century was an extremely violent and politically unstable era. Our political freedoms came at great cost
 
It would be interesting to see how that will play out with the knowledge average people have at their disposal these days. I won't live long enough to see much in the way of results if I get to see any at all. At least I'll get to see pot become legal.
 
poster said:
It would be interesting to see how that will play out with the knowledge average people have at their disposal these days. I won't live long enough to see much in the way of results if I get to see any at all. At least I'll get to see pot become legal.
Click to expand...

A new American civil war has quite low odds today. A lot of smart people think that's where it's headed
 
That is nonsense.

That story is over a year old and nothing is worse.

No armies are forming.
 
dismal said:
untermensche said:
That is nonsense.

That story is over a year old and nothing is worse.

No armies are forming.
Click to expand...

Well, unless you count the armies of Hollywood actresses wearing vagina hats. #resistance!
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Eliminating sexual assaults of women in Hollywood is the movement of the day.

It just isn't fair if you can't use wealth and power to coerce young women.
 
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